I just opened the second Popular Science magazine, in my 11 year old's new subscription. What did I find, but a..
BIG double sided, thick cardboard Advertisement for CIGARETTES in the middle of the magazine!
I was shocked! How could a magazine that lifts the spirits of imagination and innovation of children and adults allow this to happen? I can't remember the last time I saw a tobacco ad. Aren't they illegal?
Apparently not. Nixon's administration first banned Tobacco Advertising, but mainly for TV (Learn more...) It started in 1971 and seems to be the main drive towards stemming advertising for tobacco. Here is another source explaining the 1996 Regulations.
There are new laws being put in place (see the Washington Post http://bit.ly/ddrntI) that stiffly regulate where tobacco ads can be placed (including certain distances from schools), what they can use for imagery and visuals, but there is no ban on how they can be employed in Magazine. But these laws appear to be weak and could be overturned in court.
Smoking is addictive and is attributed to more than 450,000 deaths a year. So, I just can't understand why a magazine like Popular Science (Owned by Bonnier Group) would allow tobacco to advertise.
My assumption (and I haven't researched it) is that their readership is mainly in the 15-25 age group. Look at the vast array of household name magazines they publish here( (There are restrictions against advertising to age groups under 18 I believe). The readers in my opinion turn to the Magazine to see what is new and cool and provides ideas for engineers, geeks, gadget freaks, technophiles, and others to dream... the last thing we want them to do is to think about smoking.
Please write to Popular Science and Bonnier and urge them to not accept advertising from Tobacco companies.
Let people dream on how to extend life, not shorten it.